Car Defect Radar
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Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated October 26, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.
Confirm 8 recalls before you buy.

Ask the seller for proof the repair was completed, or run the free VIN check. Recall repairs are done at no cost by a dealer.

Recalls

8 total · 8 to confirm

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

Safety recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 25V442000 · Jun 2025

A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Transmission recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 25V196000 · Mar 2025

An engine that overheats increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy
Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 21, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S32.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Transmission recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 22V413000 · Jun 2022

A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy
Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Body & glass recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 22V192000 · Mar 2022

During a crash, the windshield may detach from the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy
Dealers will inspect the windshield and, if necessary, remove and reinstall the windshield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S20.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Transmission recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 21V376000 · May 2021

A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, causing the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy
Dealers will replace the underhood shifter cable bushing, and add a protective cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 29, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S24.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Airbags recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 20V791000 · Dec 2020

Air bag modules missing the first-stage booster propellant will not deploy as intended in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected air bag module on either the driver or passenger side, free of charge. This recall began February 18, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C26.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Engine recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 20V636000 · Oct 2020

If the engine overheats, it can result in engine damage and increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S60.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Transmission recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 20V550000 · Sep 2020

Missing or loose bolts on the start stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission fluid leak and may progress to a loss of transmission function. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.

Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the start/stop accumulator, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S49.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Owner complaints by system

32 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Worth reading
17

Most reports here involve transmission slipping. Of these, 2 mention a crash.

transmission slipping 10fire 2software faults 2
A recent report: I started experiencing a sluggishness and jerking sensation upon acceleration. I took my van to Starling Ford who diagnosed it to be a transmission issue. An estimate was given for either replacing…
Read full complaint

I started experiencing a sluggishness and jerking sensation upon acceleration. I took my van to Starling Ford who diagnosed it to be a transmission issue. An estimate was given for either replacing or repairing the transmission. Shock. I took the van to Premier Auto Care, for a second opinion. They then referred me to Quality Transmission after driving the van. I asked Ford for some assistance since the quote was so much and it was out of warranty at 60,784 miles due to "wear and tear". After about a week, Ford responded with $5,984.37. I decided to have Quality Transmission replace the transmission after hearing from 2 mechanics that they had seen other Ford Transit Connect vans, with more mileage than mine, having the same transmission problems. I find it hard to believe that a transmission had to be replaced before 100,000 miles, which seems to be the magic number for miles. My van is used for personal use only.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11693697 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
1

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 1
A recent report: Intermittent Electronic issues are: 1) Rear view backup camera malfunction. Works sporadically. Camera some times clear as bell, and stays on when in drive moving forward. Other days camera fails to…
Read full complaint

Intermittent Electronic issues are: 1) Rear view backup camera malfunction. Works sporadically. Camera some times clear as bell, and stays on when in drive moving forward. Other days camera fails to blue screen, then turns gray with message that camera is unavailable, contact dealership. Defect is not currently not listed for this vehicle as a recall. Definite safety hazard with camera staying on when vehicle is in drive and moving forward. 2) Auto start, stop feature was functioning when vehicle was purchased November of 2025, but as of April 2026, system began to turn itself on and off, no longer can be activated or deactivated via command button on console.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11751874 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Minor
7

Most reports here involve loss of braking.

loss of braking 2loss of steering 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2020 Ford Transit Connect. The contact stated that while attempting to pull into a parking lot, the brakes locked up. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated…
Read full complaint

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Transit Connect. The contact stated that while attempting to pull into a parking lot, the brakes locked up. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that several attempts were made to forcefully engage and unlock the brakes. After restarting the vehicle, there was a burning odor coming from the brakes. The contact stated that the brakes slowly released after the vehicle was turned off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the valve assembly modulator had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,484.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11761397 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Minor
1

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2020 Ford Transit Connect. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an…
Read full complaint

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Transit Connect. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11454671 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
6

Most reports here involve fluid leaks.

fluid leaks 5
A recent report: The windsheild is not properly sealed. It has caused water to leak into the vehicle. The water leaking in has caused electrical problems with the radio and backup camera. Also causing mold inside the…
Read full complaint

The windsheild is not properly sealed. It has caused water to leak into the vehicle. The water leaking in has caused electrical problems with the radio and backup camera. Also causing mold inside the vehicle.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11737645 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 32 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2019 and 2026, roughly 5 a year, which is fewer than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.

How does it compare with other years? The 2020 has 32 complaints on file, fewer than the 2019 (51). Of the 11 model years of the Ford Transit Connect we cover, the 2014 has the most (127). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.